More Articles

View SlideshowRequest to buy this photoDispatch file photoA White Castle is built to replace one on N. High Street in 1986. A White Castle System subsidiary says it was the first company to build with porcelain.

White Castle is best known for its Sliders, but the company also operates a porcelain-steel
business out of its headquarters on Goodale Street near the Arena District.

The Porcelain Steel Buildings (PSB) Co., a subsidiary of White Castle System Inc., was launched
in 1934 to make metal buildings that were portable and easy to maintain.

The structures were made with steel and porcelain panels, and PSB says it was the first company
to use porcelain as a building material.

In the 1930s, the company’s sole focus was creating the materials to construct White Castle
restaurants. That included the fixtures and food-service equipment that were used in daily
operations. Today, that accounts for only 5 percent of the company’s business.

During World War II, the Porcelain Steel Buildings Co. did its part for the war effort by
building amphibious vehicles. When the war ended, the company was left with a surplus of supplies,
most of which were not used for its typical manufacturing process. So another central Ohio business
jumped in: Scotts Co. contracted with PSB to make lawn spreaders. The company still manufactures
spreaders and other equipment for Scotts.

Other restaurants also used the porcelain design because the material was easy to maintain and
customize for different uses. The buildings were sometimes referred to as “porcelain palaces.”

Through the years, the company expanded from manufacturing buildings to providing custom metal
and fabrication services for a variety of industries. Today, it still provides these services and
offers cost-reduction analysis and logistical services.